Proving Himself
by 67OtakuGirl24X3
Summary: As seen on my AO3: Two years have passed since the fall of Kuvira. Asami and Korra and Bolin and Opal are still happily together, while Mako is still single and has returned to his job as detective. He's content with just focusing on his job, when Prince Wu suddenly pays him a visit, and tells Mako something surprising: he's in love with him.
1. Chapter 1

Mako, along with the rest of Team Avatar, was content almost to the point of bliss.

Two years had passed since Kuvira had fallen from power of the Earth Empire. The world was the most at peace as it had been for a while now, giving Team Avatar the opportunity to invest some time into their personal lives, back in Republic City. Asami continued to administer her company and make it grow even larger; Korra did her best maintaining balance between people and spirits, helping resolve any minor conflicts that came up; Bolin found a job as the new pro-bending announcer; and Mako, freed from his unwanted duty as Prince Wu's bodyguard, resumed his detective work. Mako was the only one in their group that wasn't in a relationship, but that didn't make him any unhappier: all he had wanted in the first place, after all, was time to focus on his job. Even when things were calm, there was always minor crime afoot, and Mako wanted to dedicate himself to apprehending any criminals and solving any mysteries that he possibly could. The thought of seeking out romance never even crossed his mind. Sure, it made his friends happy, but Mako felt that for the time being, the single life was appropriate for him.

It was on an uneventful day at the police station that Mako would suddenly have no choice _but_ to think about being in a relationship.

With the phones quiet and the streets calm, there was nothing for Mako to do but complete and file reports at his desk. It was tedious work, but it needed to be done, and days like these were the best to do them on. "Hey, kid. You've got a visitor."

Mako looked up from his paperwork at the sound of Chief Bei Fong's voice. A visitor? How odd… The only people that ever visited him at work were Korra, Asami, and Bolin- which were all rare occurrences- and normally when they _did_ visit, Lin would plainly tell him, "_ is here." So who on earth-?

Even if Mako had been expecting someone _unexpected_ , it's likely that he still would have nearly fallen out of his chair when his "visitor" stepped into view.

"... _Prince Wu?!_ "

"Oh, my god, it's SO good to see you, Mako! And by the way, just 'Wu' is fine, now. Stepped down from the throne, remember? But anyway, how _are_ you?!"

Sure, Mako remembered; but he hadn't thought about it for months, now. It had taken a few weeks to get back into the swing of being a detective and not a bodyguard, and he would sometimes receive or overhear reports on how the Earth Kingdom was handling its conversion into a republic, but after that, Prince Wu and anything he had to do with Mako slowly slipped into the back of his memory. And the memory that he had of the prince was… different, from what he saw standing before him.

Wu's overall demeanor was calmer than Mako remembered. He wore a genuine friendly smile instead of a naive, cocky grin, along with simple clothes and minimal accessories. The broach he had clung so desperately to shortly after his coronation was nowhere to be seen on his person. He seemed almost…. humble.

"...wha… What are you _doing_ here?!" Mako uttered, ignoring Wu's "how are you."

Wu's smile only grew. "I came to see you! You see-" He paused, tilting his head and rubbing his chin. "Well, do you have some time to talk? I've got quite a bit to say."

Mako didn't like the sound of that one bit. ...still, he was curious. He glanced at the papers on his desk and sighed; he could probably afford to put off filing them for a little while. "Sure, I've got a few minutes. Grab a chair." Wu didn't hesitate to abide his request.

"It's been two years, hasn't it, Mako? I feel like so much has happened… And that's what brings me here! Let me fill you in," he began, leaning his elbows on Mako's desk and resting his chin atop his hands. Mako leaned back in his own chair, raising his eyebrows tiredly and bracing himself for a long story. "Okie dokie, so you see... I've been dedicating myself to making sure that the kingdom I chose to walk away from was doing okay without me. Just because I didn't want to lead the Earth Kingdom doesn't mean I wanted to totally _abandon_ it, you know!

Things started off a little rocky- no pun intended." He laughed to himself, while Mako stared at him unamused. Wu didn't seem to notice. "There were still some people loyal to the idea of a monarchy, and a lot of those that wanted independence didn't know what to do with it! So I used my gentle charisma to help get everybody on track, and stayed around until some decent leaders were elected. It took a while for this new Earth Kingdom to get on its feet, but now things are just about as smooth as a pebble. Now _that_ pun was intended!" This time, he waited for a response from Mako; when he got none, he continued on. "So, with the empire functioning as a proper republic, there wasn't really any need for me anymore, and I finally had some time to just wind down and live a humble life."

 _That_ sparked a response from Mako. He couldn't mask the disbelief in his face, and when he realized that Wu noticed this change of expression, he let slip, " _You_? Live _humbly_? What a concept."

His eyes widened a bit as Wu suddenly appeared to be hurt by that comment. "It's true! I guess it may be a little hard to believe… I admit it: the Prince Wu you knew was _kind of_ a spoiled brat."

"Yeah, 'kind of,'" Mako scoffed.

"But 'Prince Wu' is gone now!" Wu quickly insisted. "Now I'm simply, _Wu_. After I saw that the Earth Kingdom didn't need a prince anymore, I did a bit of soul-searching, I guess you could call it. Where should I go from there? Who exactly is 'just Wu'? So I looked back on my life and decided I should start fresh, as a better person. No more depending on people like a little kid, no more palaces and suites, no more fancy clothes… So, I sold off some of my nicest things, gave the money to some charities helping out the poorest parts of the empire, and settled down in a nice little apartment in Ba Sing Se. But I mean, I still have enough money to live comfortably- I wasn't ready to TOTALLY go from riches to rags, you know?" He grinned at Mako; Mako only stared back at him, stunned. Was the spoiled brat he had to babysit two years ago actually giving a legitimate attempt at becoming a good person…? He simply couldn't wrap his head around it. _Two years really can make a difference, I guess…_ he thought to himself. But he still struggled to believe it.

However, Wu still wasn't finished. "Yet I felt… out of place," he continued without waiting for a comment from Mako. "I guess this is the spoiled part of me taking over, but I felt as though if I wasn't on the throne or in a mansion, I didn't belong back in Ba Sing Se. So I decided I should completely start anew, in Republic City, where I know I have some friends, I can find a decent place to live in, and I _probably_ won't run into people that want me dead. And now…. Here I am!" Wu sat up and threw out his arms, grandly concluding his story.

Mako was speechless. He still hadn't recovered from the shock of suddenly being in the presence of the obnoxious brat he'd waited so desperately to get rid of, let alone comprehend that said brat had fully dropped his title of "prince," was actively attempting to change himself, and had apparently moved to Republic City, the city in which Mako himself lived. It was all just too much.

"...well…. Welcome back, I guess," he eventually forced out, accompanied by an awkward cough.

"It's good to _be_ back!" Without any warning, Wu stood from his seat and closed the gap between them with an affectionate hug that made Mako cringe. Apparently Wu's lack of respect personal boundaries was one thing that still hadn't changed. "So really, how _have_ you been, Mako? What have you been up to these past two years?"

Mako had to peel the former prince off of him, forcing him back into his own chair. "...I've been fine. The world's pretty balanced right now, so, I've just been doing detective work like I used to. It's been kind of uneventful, I guess."

"Well, no news means good news, am I right?" Wu responded cheerfully.

"...yeah." Mako's mind buzzed, and he could feel a headache coming on. There was no way he could casually accept Wu's return… Now that Wu had shared his story, he just wanted to be alone, to either distract himself from the news or take the time to wrap his head around it. Sighing, he turned back toward his deck and reached for his stack of papers. "Look, I should probably get back to work, so-"

"Wait! I actually have _one_ last thing to say," Wu exclaimed quickly, noticing that Mako was trying to divert his attention away from him. The look that Mako gave him in response showed a lack of interest; still, Wu gulped, sat up straighter, adjusted his shirt collar, and spoke. "I have one more reason for coming to Republic City. One _big_ reason. The biggest reason I have, actually-"

"Can you get to the point?" Mako groaned. Part of him felt guilty for being so inconsiderate when Wu seemed to be so genuine and happy to see him. But Wu didn't really look hurt by his interjection; just a little embarrassed.

"Right, right, sorry! I'll try to speed it up a little.

So like I said, I like it here 'cause I know I've got friends here. I was excited to see Korra, and Asami, and you again… ….but mostly _you_ , Mako. Because…" Wu cleared his throat, closing his eyes tightly as if preparing himself for what he was about to say. When he opened his eyes, they had a determined gleam in them. "I decided I would only be happy in this new life, if I had you in it."

Mako was already overly baffled, but that did it. Now he was utterly dumbfounded, frustrated, and honestly a bit disgusted. He was certain he didn't want to hear any more of this. "In case you've forgotten, I'm not your bodyguard anymore, Wu. And I sure as hell do not want to be, no matter how much 'better' of a person you've become," he snapped, shuffling his papers agitatedly.

"No! No, no, no, you've got it wrong! I'm not asking you to be my bodyguard!" Wu insisted, waving his hands frantically with widened eyes. Seeing this only made Mako's guilt louder, so he sighed again and loosened up just a bit.

"So, what, you want us to be buddies?" His confusion reached an all-time high when Wu blushed in response to the simple question.

"...well… Sort of like that." Wu withdrew upon himself like a lion turtle, staring nervously down at his lap with red cheeks. "You see, Mako… I'm in love with you."

Mako was about a millisecond away from setting his reports aflame. Instead, he dropped them out of his hands, too shocked to care that they scattered all over his desk and the floor. This was a dream; he must have fallen asleep at his desk and was stuck in some crazy _dream_ …. First Prince Wu waltzed into his office after having not seen him for two entire years. Then he told him he was starting over as a better, humbler Wu. And now, he was _confessing his LOVE_ to Mako?! Impossible….

"Now I know it sounds crazy, but just hear me out!" Mako pinched his leg under his desk, hoping the stimulation would wake him up; it didn't. This was real. He suddenly felt faint. "Just hear me out…" Wu repeated. Mako felt as if he had no choice but to listen. "Not a single day went by back in the Earth Kingdom that I didn't think about you. No matter how busy or exhausted I was, I always managed to think of you at least once a day! It was really weird... At first I thought I was just adjusting to living without a bodyguard, but then it started interfering with my love life. The one thing I just couldn't leave behind in this new-and-improved life of mine was my love for the ladies. I flirted around as usual, tried to ask some lovely dames out on dates…. ...but every time, I would picture you, and lose my nerve. I just couldn't explain why on earth this was happening! I mean, I thought you were great and all, but why could I not get you off my mind? So during my soul-searching, I made sure to give that a lot of thought, too, and I came to the conclusion that I must be in love with you."

"...let me get this straight… You're telling me… that you love me. Romantically. And that's mostly why you came here from Ba Sing Se," Mako confirmed, slowly, after a moment of silence.

"Exactly right! I'm absolutely smitten with ya, Mako." Wu grinned; but Mako only wore an expression of dread. Wu quickly swallowed his smile and coughed into his fist. "Look, I completely understand if you need some time to process this. And you probably don't feel the same way… But I'll tell you this: you will! Mark my words, Mako: one day, I'm going to become a man worthy of your affections," he proclaimed. Eyes twinkling, he stood and collected the papers that had fallen onto the floor while Mako watched him blankly.

"I'll let you get back to work, now… Just wanted to let you know all of this." He set the papers in a neat stack on the desk, and gave Mako a wink: not the conceited, disgustingly flirty wink Mako had seen him give so many times in the past; but a wink that gave the impression of a lighthearted promise. "I'll see you later, Mako."

Mako didn't know how to respond.


	2. Chapter 2

A couple hours later, Mako collapsed on the couch in his and Bolin's home, lolling his head against the couch's back with a groan.

"Long day at work, Bro?"

Mako didn't look up when Bolin greeted him. "You could say that," he scoffed, closing his eyes and running his hands over his face. He was vaguely aware of his brother sitting down beside him.

"Well, wanna talk about it?" Bolin asked with obvious concern.

Mako hesitated, then sighed and sat up a bit. He slowly opened his eyes, eyebrows furrowed. "...Wu is here. In Republic City."

Bolin stared at him uncomprehensively for a moment before the realization dawned on him. "You mean, _Prince_ Wu?! Well, not ' _prince_ ' anymore, since he stepped down from the throne so the Earth Kingdom could become a republic… But, you know, _that_ Wu?! The loud skinny kid you used to babysit? I mean, bodyguard?" he gasped loudly with bulging eyes.

"No, 'babysit' is more accurate," Mako muttered miserably. "...but yeah. _That_ Wu."

Bolin gaped at him in shock. "No way… Why is he here, all of a sudden? Did you talk to him?"

"Oh, I talked to him, alright. Or more like, he talked to _me_." Mako crossed his arms in an agitated manner, unwilling to even reflect back on the incredulous and ultimately uncomfortable conversation he had had with the former prince.

"Annnnd what did he say?" Bolin urged.

"A lot of bullshit, I can tell you that much," Mako spat. Catching a glance at Bolin's now pouty expression, he sighed heavily and continued to fill him in. "He tried telling me that he went 'soul-searching' and decided to settle down and become a better person. That he's trying to be more humble."

"Well, that's not _totally_ impossible to believe… I mean, it's been what, _two years_? People can change!" Mako let out a sigh under his breath. It was typical of the overly-trusting Bolin to think that way. ...although, Mako had to admit that he did have a point… But he was more liable to believe Wu's claim that he was going to become a better person, than he was regarding the part he hadn't yet told Bolin.

"...that isn't the worst part, though. He… Well, he…" Mako bit his lip and shifted awkwardly. "He told me that the main reason he came to come to Republic City, was... Well, _I'm_ the main reason. Because he said he's... in love with me."

Caught off guard by this statement, Bolin's breath caught abruptly in his throat and he choked. However, he quickly recovered after a few deep coughs, and once he evened his breathing, he _grinned_. "That's great, Bro!"

It took Mako a moment to register his brother's response, and when he finally did, he could only stare at him in disgust. "... _great_? Exactly what part of that is _great_?!"

Clearly oblivious to his brother's exasperation, Bolin laughed. "Someone's in _love_ with you, Mako! Love is ALWAYS a great thing! And he's trying to become a good person, right? So you might even have a _nice_ guy in love with you!"

Mako was speechless. Even if there was any truth to Bolin's words, Mako just couldn't bring himself to not feel disturbed by the situation. He couldn't explain why, but it just felt completely… _wrong_. He opened and closed his mouth, struggling to find the right words of protest, until he thought that maybe, just maybe, there was an ulterior reason for why he couldn't think of why he was so opposed to it. "I don't know, Little Bro…" he managed eventually. "Every memory I have of the guy leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I can't say I'm ready to suddenly accept that he's changed into even a half-decent person."

"Well, that's why you take the opportunity to make _new_ memories! Good ones!" Bolin reasoned cheerfully.

"I guess…" Mako admitted reluctantly. "...but it still feels… wrong. I'm not even, y'know, _into guys_." The sentence felt odd on Mako's tongue; he had never so much as _considered_ such a thing.

But Bolin had an immediate response to that. "Sexuality is a flexible thing, you know! I mean, I admit it, I've casted second glances at Wei and Wing a couple times myself. And look at Korra! She's a prime example of how easy it is to love guys _and_ girls! I bet before she fell in love with Asami, she would have said _she_ wasn't into _girls._ In this day and age, gender doesn't mean a thing when it comes to love. If Wu's really serious about being in love with you and becoming a better person, then maybe he'll be the first guy you have feelings for!"

Mako cringed at the casualness and enthusiasm with which Bolin discussed the topic. He wasn't currently looking for a relationship, _especially_ not with another man, and most CERTAINLY not with the spoiled little _boy_ he hadn't seen for two years and hated when he _did_ see him. The idea of developing feelings for Prince Wu was _repulsive,_ he thought. ...yet, as he he thought on it longer, he gradually felt less sickened. If _Prince_ Wu truly was a person of the past, and "Wu" was potentially someone worth falling for, then maybe he could consider it... It still made Mako uncomfortable, yet he couldn't honestly say he was 100% opposed to it.

"Tell you what," Bolin remarked, noticing his brother's clear distress, "just give it some thought, okay? Take some time to get used to the idea of him living here, and not being a total brat, and being in love with you. And if you still decide you just can't get down with it, well, maybe you two can be friends! I mean, if he's here to stay, and he really cares about you, you might as well start fresh and be buddies, right?"

Mako's head was pounding at this point, and he still couldn't help but feel skeptical. "...fine," he sighed at last. "I'll… I'll think on it, I guess."

Truthfully, he didn't want to think on it one bit. But he knew in the back of his mind that he had no choice.

After a night of restless and unsatisfactory sleep, Mako arrived at work to a bit of a surprise. Sitting on his desk was a nice glass vase, containing a fresh bouquet of flowers: fire lilies, to be exact. Even Mako, who wasn't the most artistic or sentimental of men, had to admit they were beautiful. Still, their presence was plainly suspicious. He glanced around the room, checking to see if any of his less-liked colleagues were giving any inclination that they had put them there; he saw nothing. Surely it was a prank, or maybe even an attempt at harming him… Carefully, he scoured his desk. searching for a note of some sort, anything to hint towards who had left them; again, nothing.

Just as he gradually reached for the vase to see if there was anything dangerous about it, Lin stepped into the room. "Relax, those flowers aren't going to hurt you," she assured him, noticing his cautious demeanor. "We made sure to check them for poison or explosives before he brought them in."

Mako turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "'He'? Who is 'he'?"

He couldn't believe he wasn't expecting Lin's answer: "Prince Wu. He came to the station bright and early and said he wanted to leave those for you."

Hearing those words were like a punch to Mako's gut, and he felt his face heat up. Whether he was suffering from secondhand embarrassment from Wu openly leaving _flowers_ for him, or embarrassment at himself for being the _receiver_ of the gift, he couldn't quite tell.

"He seemed pretty eager to see you yesterday, too. Why is he even here? What's the deal with that kid?" Lin asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Mako gazed perplexedly at the flower arrangement, as if their petals held the answers to all the frustrating emotions he was mulling over. "...I wish I knew."


	3. Chapter 3

Fortunately for Mako, enough work came in at the station that day to distract him from the predicament at hand. It was hard to think about having an ex-prince in love with you when you were setting your mind to deciphering the frequent disappearances of produce from a local fruit stand.

However, his bliss was not very long-lived.

He had only taken a few steps outside at the end of the day when someone called his name; and this time, he was expecting to see the person that was waiting for him. He froze and considered pretending he hadn't heard him, but before he could make his decision and walk away, Wu had already approached him and it was too late. "...hi, Wu," he grumbled defeatedly.

Wu was a minimum of a thousand times happier to see Mako than Mako was to see him. " _Hello_ to you!" He made to give Mako a hug, but to Mako's surprise- and maybe even delight- he dropped his arms to his sides and placed his hands on his hips before he could place them on Mako. "So, how did you like the flowers? I saw them in the market, and their _fiery vibrancy_ reminded me of you so much that I knew they were the PERFECT way to show my affection! I was going to serenade you, but, I know how you feel about my singing…" He let out a lighthearted laugh. "I didn't want to push my luck."

Mako's initial instinct told him to respond in the coldest, snarkiest way he could, then continue walking home. However, as he opened his mouth to snap something at Wu, he realized that he just couldn't do that to someone that was smiling so sincerely. So instead, he cleared his throat, glanced away, and awkwardly muttered, "They were nice, I guess, but I don't really do flowers."

Wu's shoulders slumped and a disappointed pout replaced his smile. "Oh… I'm sorry to hear that," he said, as if Mako should be more offended than _he_ should. The smile soon returned to his face, though slighter this time. "Okay, so you don't like flowers. Noted! However, you MUST like food… So, what do you say you and I go grab some dinner together?"

It took a moment for Mako to register what Wu was asking; he had recovered so quickly, as if he had prepared a back-up plan in case Mako didn't like the flowers. "... _now_?" he stated incredulously.

"If you're free, yup! And don't worry about paying; it's on me."

Mako hesitated. His head was starting to pound again, and he wanted to leave Wu's presence as soon as possible… Yet, he knew it wouldn't really hurt to have a night out for dinner; otherwise, he would just be returning home to cheap leftovers (not that he and Bolin couldn't afford better, but simple meals were always the easiest for both of them). Plus, he admitted to himself, this would be the perfect opportunity to find out if Wu really had become a new person. He wanted to say "no," he truly thought he did, but with a quiet sigh, he told him, "Sure."

Wu's entire face brightened at this response. From the bit of relief etched into his grin, Mako got the feeling that he wasn't entirely expecting an affirmative answer. "Oh, great! That's fantastic! Are you ready to go right now?"

"...as ready as I'll ever be."

The restaurant of Wu's choosing brought back (slightly unwanted) memories for Mako: it was the same place Asami had taken him for their first date. It was the kind of place that Mako would only be able to afford to eat at maybe once a year, even if he was eating alone; clearly, Wu had kept more than just _some_ of the money he had inherited as prince.

"You wait right here while I give them our reservations, alright?" Wu instructed cheerily as they walked inside. Mako only grunted in response, not totally focused on Wu. For one thing, he was immediately aware of just how under-dressed the two of them were just by glancing at the exquisite decor and all of the red-carpet-ready customers seated at tables; for another, his agitated and uncomfortable state of mind was making him imagine things: the fleeting memory of his first date with Asami made him think that he _saw_ Asami walk in behind him. ….Asami, dressed elegantly, with Korra on her arm… Laughing, then suddenly looking at him with wide eyes and calling out to him-

Closing his eyes tightly and giving a shake to his head, Mako realized that he wasn't just imagining things. "Mako!" Asami repeated with a smile, approaching him along with Korra. "I sure didn't expect to see you here…"

"Yeah, I... didn't really expect to be here myself," Mako responded awkwardly, glancing off to the side.

"What kind of investigation brings you to the most expensive restaurant in town? You would think they would call in Food Services, not the cops," said Korra, unlatching herself from Asami's arm.

Mako's discomfort clearly increased. "...I'm, not here on an investigation. I'm-"

" _Asami_? _Korra_? Fancy meeting you here! How have you lovely ladies _been_?!"

Korra and Asami had to stare at Wu for a moment before they realized exactly who he was. "Prince Wu-?!" they exclaimed in shocked unison.

"The one and only! But please, just 'Wu' is fine." He bowed graciously, and Mako expected him to reach out and kiss their hands; but he didn't. When he stood back up, he only smiled at them, keeping his hands to himself.

"Why don't you go to the table, Wu? I'll meet you there in a minute," Mako suggested under his breath. Wu's eyebrows furrowed in a disappointed pout.

"Right now? But I want to catch up with these two a little!" The stern glare Mako shot down at him was enough to shut him up. "...um… I'll just wait for you over here, then. We can go to the table together," he murmured.

"I should probably check us in, too," Asami noted, watching Wu shuffle away before walking up to the reception desk. This left Korra and Mako by themselves.

"You know, I had heard rumors that Prince Wu was in Republic City, but I haven't seen him for myself until now," Korra remarked with a tilt to her head.

"Guess he's been laying low," Mako muttered.

A mischievous grin appeared om Korra's face. "What are you doing on a _date_ with the guy?" she teased. However, when she noticed Mako's gloomy demeanor, her grin faded. "Um, sorry... But really, what _are_ you doing with him? Is he forcing you to be his bodyguard again?"

"No, it's worse than that. ...I'm his _love interest_."

For a moment, Korra only stared at him. "...his _what_?"

Mako explained his situation to her just as he had explained it to Bolin: Wu had come to Republic City in search of a humble lifestyle, and Mako himself, because he was in _love_ with Mako. When he finished, though, Korra didn't smile like Bolin had; instead, she furrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully. "This might not actually be such a bad thing."

Mako groaned loudly. "Oh, come _on_! You too?! Bolin said the same thing!"

Korra raised her eyebrows. "Well maybe that's because it might be true. I mean, think about it! I know you like to play Mr. Lone-Wolf, but doesn't it bother you even a _tiny_ bit that you're so single?"

"..no…" Mako muttered stubbornly. But after a pause, he added, "Okay, so maybe I've thought about how I'm the only one without a girlfriend, but that doesn't mean it _bothers_ me, right? ….right?"

"Hey, maybe it doesn't, maybe it does," Korra shrugged. "But I think it could possibly be good for you to try to fall in love, to have a little something besides your job."

"I _enjoy_ my job, though," Mako retorted.

"Yeah, and Asami and I like our jobs. But we _also_ like _each other_." Korra pursed her lips. "Look, why don't you just give him a little bit of a chance? If he's as good of a person as he's said he is, maybe you could do with someone like that in your life."

Mako narrowed his eyes incredulously. "Are you listening to yourself, Korra? This is _Prince Wu_ we're talking about." Korra didn't seem like she was changing her mind. So finally, Mako sighed dejectedly. "...fine. Fine, I'll give the guy a chance to prove himself. But if he's still the spoiled brat I remember him being, I'll _gladly_ return to forgetting I ever met him. ...but I _will_ try."

Korra gave him a smile and patted him on the arm. "Good. Now stop making him wait for you, heartbreaker."

"Allow me!" Wu gasped as they approached their reserved table. He rushed ahead of Mako, quickly but carefully, and pulled out a chair, motioning Mako into it. Mako raised an eyebrow at the courteous gesture, but accepted it anyway.

"...I'm honestly surprised you didn't ask to combine tables with Korra and Asami. I mean, it _has_ been _two years_ since you last saw them, and I know you had been pretty into them," Mako commented with an edge of stark bitterness.

"Oh, that would just be rude!" Wu exclaimed as he took his own seat. "That would completely disrupt the reservation process. Plus, those two deserve some space, since they clearly wanted to be alone together. Not to mention," he added with a smooth smile, " _I_ want to be alone with _you_ , Mako."

Mako shivered with discomfort at Wu's obvious flirtation; yet part of him felt… impressed. Wu was being so… respectful, and unobtrusive. With a brief glance at the table, Mako noticed that Wu's hand rested close enough that he could touch Mako's arm if he wanted to, but he didn't. _Well, he certainly seems to have learned to control his touchiness,_ Mako admitted to himself. He subconsciously began to relax.

"So, what looks good to you?" Wu asked as they opened the menus left for them by their server. "You can have anything you want; remember, it's on me!"

"Anything, huh? Well… I'm not really sure what I feel like. Seafood, maybe…"

"You think so? Personally, I'm not a big fan of seafood; although, while I was in Ba Sing Se, I tried this one dish….."

This served as the lead-in to the rest of the night's conversations. Wu led a majority of them, going into detailed recountings of experiences he'd had while in Ba Sing Se: food he ate, people he met, animals he saw, things that helped or hindered the kingdom's conversion into a republic… Mako mostly just nodded along with an occasional casual comment, but he couldn't deny that Wu's pure-hearted enthusiasm about the topics drew him in: especially when he talked about the attempts at reforming the Earth Kingdom. It seemed like he had been legitimately dedicated to getting the kingdom on its feet, and spoke about all the citizens he had spoken to with a fondness most befitting of a king. Even though he had stepped down from the throne, Mako thought, it was heartening to see that he still regarded the Earth Kingdom people as _his_ people.

"...but what about you, Mako? Here I've been prattling on all night, and I haven't even asked if _you_ have any interesting stories!" Wu realized a little over an hour later, as they were finishing up their meals and contemplating dessert. "So, anything particularly exciting happen over these last two years?"

Mako's eyes widened a bit; he didn't expect Wu to suddenly divert the conversation to him. After a moment, he shook his head and shrugged. "Not really, honestly. I've helped Korra out a little, busted some minor cases, but… Nothing really _big_ has happened."

"Well, no news is good news, right?" A few seconds after he said this, Wu gasped quietly, smiling sheepishly. "...I said the same exact thing the other day, didn't I? I must sound like an idiot, huh…" Mako raised his eyebrows; Wu actually looked embarrassed. Mako couldn't help but smile a little.

"It's fine… ...oy, if I get this cake slice, would you split it with me?"

Wu gaped in flattered awe as if Mako had just asked him to go out with him, not to simply share a slice of cake. "I'd love to, Mako…!"

At least another half hour had passed by the time they ordered the cake, ate it up, and asked for the check. Mako happened to glance at it as the server was setting it in front of Wu, and when he read the number at the bottom, he choked. "Holy _shit_ , Wu…! I didn't know it was going to be _that_ much, I-"

"Shhh," Wu interjected, "it's completely fine! I told you to get whatever you wanted, didn't I? Besides, It's mostly because of the stuff _I_ ordered." Smiling reassuringly, he removed a stack of bills from his pocket, counted out the owed amount, and set it atop the check.

"...at least let me bring it up to the counter for you…" Mako offered, still stunned at how much money Wu had just spent on him.

"Well, alright, if you insist! Tell them to keep the change; the tip's included." Mako nodded slowly, reaching for the check and the money and feeling the guilt reverberate inside of him. "While you do that, I'm going to run to the bathroom," Wu added.

Mako froze as he stood from the table. "...are you sure you don't want to wait? Remember what happened _last_ time you went to the bathroom by yourself?"

Clearly not realizing that Mako was being serious, Wu let out an amused laugh. "That was the last time I went without _you_! I've used the bathroom _plenty_ of times in two years, and nothing bad ever happened. I've gotten pretty good at peeing unaccompanied."

Mako blushed, admittedly embarrassed. He seemed to have legitimately forgotten that years had passed since he was Wu's bodyguard… For a moment, he almost felt as if he still was; which was odd, considering he loathed being his bodyguard, and he hadn't had a single negative thought about Wu for hours. With reddened cheeks, he hustled to the reception desk without another word.

Fate seemed intent on seeing Mako interact with his ex-girlfriends on this night, for when he brought the check to the counter, he had to wait in line behind Asami. She immediately turned around and smiled at him. "Well hello again. How did your date go?"

"It wasn't a date," he insisted quickly. Asami let out a light laugh.

"Right, right, I'm sorry. How was your, business dinner with the ex-king of the Earth Kingdom?"

His blush had died down by the time Mako got in line, but now it flared back up again. "...nice, actually. He had some interesting stories to talk about," he admitted half-heartedly, glancing away and scratching his cheek.

Asami laughed again, amused. "Wow, Mako, you're blushing… But I'm glad you had a good time." Her expression softening, she glanced around and lowered her voice a bit. "You know, when you were talking to Korra, Wu came over to me after I signed in. I expected him to hit on me, honestly… But I was _very_ surprised at what he actually had to say."

Mako's face faded back to its normal color and he raised his eyebrows slightly, intrigued. "Really? What was it?"

"Well, regardless of what you seem to think this little get-together was, _he_ told me that it was a date. He told me that he's head-over-heels in love with you, and really wants to impress you." Her smile grew as she watched the humiliation spread across Mako's expression. "He apparently remembered that you and I dated, because he asked me what makes you tick…"

"...and?" Mako urged. "What did you tell him?"

Asami chuckled to herself, and winked. "That's a _secret_."

Mako wanted to make a further attempt at wriggling more out of her; however, it was Asami's turn to pay the cashier, and Wu had finished in the bathroom and was returning to Mako's side.


	4. Chapter 4

As the days and weeks passed by, Wu's methods of affection sorted themselves out into three general categories: gifts, compliments, and date proposals. He made it plainly clear that he was dedicated to his cause, and this made Mako… unsure of how to feel.

The gifts were fairly self-explanatory. Mako would come into work to find something waiting for him, sometimes wrapped, sometimes unwrapped, at least once a week. They were never accompanied by any sort of card identifying who they were from, but it was obvious enough. His gifts had included, but were not limited to, a new pair of gloves, a humble fruit basket, and a hand-woven scarf from the market. Although Mako didn't want these presents, he also didn't quite have the heart to toss them, so he created a corner in his bedroom where he stashed them all, untouched.

The more frequent gesture of Wu's was to call Mako at work and tell him something flattering. Every day, at varying hours, Wu would call, say, "Mako? It's Wu," drop him a compliment, and hang up after giving Mako a second to digest his words. As nice as some people may have found these calls, Mako was only horribly _embarrassed_ , and tried his hardest to find a valid excuse to ask Wu to knock it off. He wanted to scold him for wasting his time at work, but that would have been an invalid argument because he hardly took up any time at all. The calls were so brief that Mako was able to shake them off within a few seconds and resume his work, but they still left him flustered every time. He also considered telling him that he was only to call into the police station in case of an emergency, but then he feared that Wu would start complimenting him face-to-face instead, and that would be even worse. ...of course, he could also simply tell Wu that he didn't like being complimented… But part of him didn't want to hurt Wu's feelings.

Still, the compliments constantly lingered in the back of his mind: "You're the most handsome guy in Republic City!" "You're not only tough, you're smart, too!" "The police force would be lost without you! And so would I~" "Ba Sing Se is a beautiful city, but it was nothing without you with me!" He couldn't tell if the way Wu's words got under his skin was good or bad, but regardless, it was beginning to drive him crazy, and even if it was a _good_ kind of crazy, he didn't like it.

The date proposals were perhaps what gave Mako the most stress. On some days, seemingly out of the blue, Wu would "happen" to walk past the police station just as Mako was leaving, and invite him out somewhere (the park, a casual restaurant, or even his apartment). Mako was easier at coming up with excuses on the spot, because he didn't have time to think on how it would offend Wu; so, he would always tell him he had something to do at home, and hurry off before he could see the hurt expression on Wu's face. Nonetheless, he was always left feeling heavily guilty by the time he got home. He particularly dreaded Wu's flattery calls on days when he had rejected Wu the night prior.

It was only a matter of time before he caved in some way.

About three weeks had gone by since they had gone on their "first date." Mako had come to anticipate Wu's daily calls, to the point that when he received a call from somebody other than Wu, he was mildly surprised. That being said, when the phone rang on this day, Mako picked it up before it could even finish its first ring. "Good morning~! Just wanted to-"

"Wu, listen," Mako interjected. He could practically hear Wu's mouth clamp shut on the other end of the line. The first few days, Mako would respond to him with a mumbled "thanks" or "um, right," but lately he would just hang up silently after Wu was done speaking. So, hearing him initiate a conversation came as quite the surprise. "...stop this," Mako muttered into the phone.

"...um, what do you-"

"Just stop doing this, okay?!" he cut him off again, much louder this time. "I can't take it anymore, I'm sick of you _pampering_ me. It's too much. Just knock it off," he begged furiously, panting when he completed his brief tirade. He was met with only silence; on the other end of the line, Wu was frozen in shock, his eyes wide and his heart throbbing painfully in his chest.

Mako didn't have to be skilled at reading the atmosphere to tell that Wu's silence was a pained one. He drew in a difficult breath and released it in a heavy sigh, relaxing his shoulders and running a hand through his bangs. "...I'm sorry," he said gently. "I didn't mean to yell. I… I get that you're not trying to be obnoxious. But I'm just… Not into these things, okay? The daily compliments are a nice gesture, but… They're just _excessive_. And I don't like getting presents, or making plans on the spot right after work. I mean, trying to win me over with your money… Doesn't that make you no better than you were before?"

He realized he had said too much the moment the words left his mouth. Mako smacked his palm against his forehead, frustrated with himself. "Wait, I mean, it's not like you're still the same brat you used to be, I can tell you've tried to change- I mean, you're doing a good job, I think- shit- I mean-"

"It's okay, Mako." Wu's voice was firm, but calm; his tone didn't sound hurt or offended, save for an edge of embarrassed sadness. "I just wish you'd told me earlier, is all! Not that I'm mad at you or anything. I'm sorry for being a bother… I'll think of a different approach, I promise!"

And before Mako could say anything- not that he knew what to say to that- Wu hung up.

That would be the last time Mako heard from Wu for several weeks.

Mako tried to convince himself that he didn't care, that this was what he wanted; but as the days passed by, he only grew more and more worried. Whenever he had desk work, he would anxiously wait for the phone to ring, and when it never did, he went home feeling unsatisfied. The absence of gifts began to make his desk feel empty in the morning and he left work in a hurry each day, peering around corners to see if Wu was nearby, and his shoulders falling when he was nowhere to be seen. He did his best to ignore the paranoia, to tell himself he didn't care about Wu's whereabouts or at least was relieved that he finally had peace and quiet; but when his incessant worrying became so much of a distraction that he couldn't concentrate at work, he decided he needed to do _something_. Desperate and feeling as though he was clinging to sanity by a thread, he frantically gave a call to Korra.

"Mako? Is everything okay?" Korra asked seriously when Asami handed her the phone.

"No- well, actually, yes… ...sort of." Mako groaned under his breath and jumped straight to the point. "A few weeks ago, I told Wu to stop pampering me. And, I haven't heard from him since. He said he'd try a different approach at winning me over, but, he hasn't even tried to _contact_ me. ...so I was wondering if you could look around for him a little bit, when you can."

On the other line, Korra raised her eyebrows and didn't even try to restrain her smile. "I thought you didn't _like_ hearing from him?"

"I don't!" Mako snapped. Then he paused. "….and that's the weird thing about it. I can finally dedicate myself to work without any distractions, just like I wanted, yet I can't focus anymore. Things are back to normal, but… I guess Wu's presents and phone calls had started to feel like _they_ were normal. I guess I got used to it."

Korra smirked, leaning against the wall. "Sounds to me like you _miss_ him."

"I don't miss him!" Mako insisted. His loud, overly-defensive tone only made Korra laugh.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I'll keep an eye out, alright?" For a fleeting moment, Mako heard more than just amused laughter in her voice; something about her tone seemed vaguely… suspicious. But he quickly shook the feeling off.

Mako's shoulders slumped, his face steaming a little after his short outburst. "...alright… Thanks, Korra."

"Anytime. Try to stop stressing, okay?"

"...yeah." Sighing and closing his eyes, Mako made to hang up the phone; but then he heard a sound distantly on the other line. It wasn't Korra's voice, or even Asami in the background, but someone else's voice: a _male_ voice, saying, "Who was that?" And Korra hung up before Mako could hear any more.

Now Mako knew for a fact that the paranoia was making him lose his mind: it seemed to him that the voice sounded just like Wu.


	5. Chapter 5

The following day, Mako's thoughts were occupied predominantly by concerns for Wu and curiosity over the phone call he'd had with Korra. Who on earth was the voice asking _"Who was that?"_ in the background, and why did he think it sounded like Wu? Was it just his imagination? Or was Wu actually with Korra at the time? But if that was the case, _why_ was he with Korra? These thoughts pestered him all throughout the night, and even now that he was at work and tasking himself with reading through fairly important case files, he _still_ couldn't clear his head. He had been sitting at his desk for hours, and couldn't bring himself to concentrate on anything for more than a few seconds before Wu popped into his mind.

During one of the occasions that Mako snapped himself back into reality, he happened to zone into a voice coming from the radio on his desk. He recognized it as one of the alerts that the officers received whenever a crime was reported in the city; this time, it sounded like a group of robbers getting violent downtown. _It's been a while since I got to bust up something like that,_ Mako thought absently. As he listened to the voice repeat the report, he unconsciously felt a sense of longing bubble up inside of him.

By chance, Lin was passing by on the way to her office when the call came in. "Chief Bei Fong-!" Mako blurted out to her. His eyes widened when she turned her uninterested attention to him. He hadn't really meant to call her name, he just reacted instinctively… Well, she'd be even more irritated if he just told her "Never mind" and distracted her for no reason, so he figured he may as well continue. He cleared his throat. "...do you know if anyone has already headed downtown to take care of those robbers?"

Lin raised an eyebrow. "No, I wasn't exactly monitoring that… Why do you want to know?"

Mako felt himself sweat under her skeptical stare. "Well, I was… wondering if, you could permit me to respond to the call-? Go to the scene…"

He wanted to disappear as Lin's gaze turned even more incredulous than it already was. Why was he making this request, anyway-? ...he knew why: if he had to sit there in a befuddled daze for any longer, he would go crazy. He needed some action to take his mind off of… _him_. "...are you feeling alright, Mako? I'm not sure if you realize this, but you haven't been a cop for YEARS now."

"Well, yes, I know that, but…." Fortunately for him, Mako didn't need to explain himself any further. Just seeing the desperation and discomfort in his face was enough for Lin.

"Fine, fine, I don't care. Do what you want," she sighed. "Just make sure those files get done on time."

Mako's eyes widened, honestly surprised that Lin was granting him permission so easily. He stood from his desk without being aware of moving at all. "Thank you, Chief-! I'll be going, then…" he breathed. Lin muttered a "hmph" in response and disappeared into her office. Gradually smiling to himself, he hurried to the garage in which the police cars were parked. _Finally, a distraction,_ he thought in relief as he slipped into the driver's seat of one of the available cars. He was hoping that that would be his final thought on the topic at least for the rest of the day.

He was terribly mistaken.

Whether or not any other policemen were responding to the call, Mako was the first to arrive on the scene. It was exactly how he had imagined it would be: a group of rowdy street thugs were smashing windows, stuffing their pockets with goods, and brawling with people that seemed to be defending the shop. Mako shouldn't have had any reason to smile, yet, he did. A part of him missed dealing with this sort of rush…

However, that unjustified smile was gone in the blink of an eye when his own eyes focused in on the center of the chaos. Two of the thugs- non-benders, he determined from the way they fought- were ganging up on someone considerably scrawnier and better-dressed than them. ...someone tan-skinned, with slick dark hair and a nose too big for his boyish face. Someone that looked an awful lot like Wu.

All within the same split second, Mako's head spun, knees felt weak, heart throbbed, and stomach churned. He wasn't losing his mind yet: it _was_ Wu.

Shockingly, he seemed to be holding his own fairly well. He did receive a few blows to the chest and face that made Mako flinch; though for the most part, he dodged most of their swings, recovered from the hits he _didn't_ dodge, and even managed to land a few hits of his own. Something about the way he was fighting, so lightly on his feet, seemed… familiar. Regardless, Mako wanted to call out to him the moment he got out of the car, but his mouth had suddenly become very dry and the words fell apart in his throat. Besides, backup had arrived, and the robbers noticed. "Oy, shit, the cops are here!" one of them called out. The brigade gave a collective agitated groan, and began to disperse. However, even though his opponents had dropped him and turned tail, Wu still wasn't done.

"Hey, come back here! I'm not finished with you!" he called defiantly. Although he dismissed it as his imagination, Mako could have sworn that for a split second, Wu glanced over his shoulder and made eye contact with Mako. "... _hey_!" he repeated, louder this time.

He got what he wanted: one of the thugs paused and turned around. Unfortunately for Wu, unlike his previous attackers, this man was a bender, and with one irritated stomp of his foot, the ground rose up abruptly from beneath Wu and knocked him off his feet. As Wu lay moaning on his back, one of the men making his way out of the destroyed store made sure to give him a rough kick as he passed.

Mako's body acted before his voice returned to him. He bolted to the criminals, summoning a palmful of fire in each hand and chasing them into the path of gathering police cars. Soon enough, they were surrounded.

Without a moment of hesitation, Mako extinguished his flames and rushed to Wu's side, supporting him as carefully as possible with one hand around his waist and the other behind his shoulders. Perhaps he should have lingered to see if the other cops needed his help in apprehending the thugs, but their very presence disappeared as his mind honed in on Wu; in fact, the only thing _on_ his mind was Wu, bloody and beaten and _there with him,_ flinching in his arms.

"Are you okay?!" Mako asked frantically, scanning Wu's body for any significant fractures. Wu squeezed one eye shut.

"...Mako…? Is that you…?" he whispered.

Mako's level of worry and panic increased with every second. "Yeah, it is, it's me! But are you alright, Wu? Are you bleeding anywhere? Is anything broken?"

Wu closed his other eye, and with a groan, sat up gradually. "I'm fine, I think… I just got the wind knocked out of me, is all…"

It certainly didn't _look_ like Wu was fine; but Mako was willing to take his word for it for the time being. Mako bit his lip and drew in a heavy breath, allowing himself to calm down. "What were you _thinking_? Why were you trying to fight those guys? You should have left it up to the authorities…"

Although Wu had opened his eyes, now, he refused to look into Mako's face. "...not telling," he huffed. Mako let out a frustrated sigh. It seemed Wu still had a childish side to him… "So much for Korra's training sessions…" Wu mumbled after a brief pause, barely audibly. This made Mako perk up slightly.

"Wait, what did you say?"

Wu's eyes widened and he glanced at Mako nervously. "Uh, n-nothing!" he insisted. "I didn't say anything. You must be hearing things…"

Mako raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "You said something about training with Korra." Wu's shoulders slumped defeatedly.

"...when we went out to eat, that one time, and Asami and Korra were there…. I, sort of asked Asami what I could do to impress you," he admitted. "Or, should I say, to _woo_ you. Get it? Because my name is-" Wu caught Mako's eye for a moment and coughed awkwardly. "...anyway. She told me that you like a person that can hold their own, so I decided I needed to toughen up. I knew I couldn't do it myself, so I asked Korra to help train me. ...honestly," he added, "I was kind of relieved when you asked me to stop with the gifts. Because then I could take the time I would have spent shopping, and use it to train more!"

Mako could hardly believe what he was hearing. ...yet, somehow, it made perfect sense. "...but I still don't understand. Why did you fight the robbers? You must have _known_ they were way out of your league. You couldn't get any stronger if you ended up getting all your bones broken by them…"

Wu laughed lightly, scratching his cheek. "I guess I got kind of big-headed since I started showing progress in the training… When I saw the robbery go down, I thought that if I caught them by myself, and word got out about it, you would be proud of me!" An embarrassed blush dusted Wu's cheeks. "...but I messed up."

Part of Mako felt irritated and mad at Wu; but most of him just felt _bad_ for him, and maybe even a little bit… proud. "You didn't need to put yourself in danger for me… I was worried sick," Mako sighed. Wu's eyes widened, a flattered smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"...you were… _worried_ about me?"

Immediately regretting having said anything, Mako shook his head and ignored the feeling that he was blushing. "You need to be cleaned up… I'll take you back to my apartment," he decided quickly. "Can you stand?"

"Um, maybe…" Leaning most of his weight onto Mako, Wu precariously got to his feet, flinching as Mako tried to position him upright. He limped to Mako's police car, one arm around Mako's shoulders, and plopped as gently as possible into the passenger seat.

Mako still had a plethora of questions for Wu: what type of training he did, why he was so determined to prove himself to Mako, why he didn't call Mako at all over the past few weeks... However, by the time Mako climbed behind the wheel, closed his door, and inserted the keys into the ignition, the former prince had fallen unconscious.

Bolin wasn't home, leaving Mako and the injured Wu by themselves. Wu didn't wake up until Mako had already applied medicine to his cuts and wrapped a bandage around his head, and the first words out of his mouth were: "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Mako knew perfectly well why he was sorry; it just felt courteous to pretend that Wu had nothing to apologize for. He bandaged Wu's arm without looking at his face (but he could still tell that Wu was frowning pitifully).

"For being so stupid, and messing up so bad… I'll try something different," he promised.

Mako paused before snipping the bandage, and groaned. "You don't need to try anything different. In fact, you should _stop_ trying."

"I'm not a quitter!" Wu snapped, suddenly transitioning from defeated to defensive. "I'm going to keep trying until you-"

"Wu," Mako interjected. His voice was loud and stern enough to make Wu clamp his mouth shut immediately. He hesitated before speaking again. He had a feeling that he knew what he wanted to say, but he was uncertain as to whether or not it was the _right_ thing to say. Deep inside, it _seemed_ right, but he still couldn't be sure that it was the truth… Nonetheless, he decided that if he was going to say it at all, now would be the best time to do it. He silently inhaled a deep breath. "You can stop trying, because I…." He felt his face heat up. "...I already have feelings for you. I think," he mumbled.

Wu's mouth fell agape, his eyes bulging. "...you… What-?" he whispered incredulously. Mako covered his face with one hand.

"Don't make me say it again…" he muttered, squeezing his forehead. With a gasp, Wu excitedly jumped to his feet, but cried out in pain before he could exclaim anything. Mako instantaneously dropped his hand, concern replacing the humiliation in his face, and hurried to gently help Wu sit back down. "Watch it, don't push yourself..." Mako warned.

"Sorry," Wu apologized again with a sheepish smile. Mako almost smiled back at him; but then he realized just how closely together they were sitting, and quickly scooted to a different couch cushion with his face burning.

"...sooo, if you like me…" Wu ventured, "Would you want to try dating me?"

Mako felt his stomach lurch. What had he gotten himself into… Did he want to DATE _Wu_? It felt disgustingly impossible… ...and yet, he felt his heart fluttering in a way that wasn't necessarily bad. Wu really did seem to care about him, and he was so dedicated to becoming a better person…. He had to give him a chance. "...I… Sure. I'll give it a shot," he sighed after a moment of final consideration.

The shock on Wu's face made it clear that he wasn't expecting a yes. He opened and closed his mouth several times, spluttering in awe, before he found the right words to say. "I'll be the best boyfriend you could ever ask for!" he vowed passionately and with sincerity.

Suddenly, his demeanor softened. "...oh, but can I ask for _one_ more _teensy_ favor?" he asked timidly. Mako only raised his eyebrows in response. For a moment, it seemed like Wu was going to say more, but then he acted instead: closing his eyes, he leaned forward (as much as his aching body would allow) and pecked Mako's lips.

His lips were inexperienced and nervous, and also tasted a little like blood; still, it wasn't a bad kiss. When Mako caught himself thinking his, he promptly pulled away before he could enjoy the kiss _too_ much.

He was almost afraid to look at Wu once he opened his eyes. "W-what the… _hell_ was that-?!" 

Wu immediately looked incredibly guilty. "S-sorry-! Sorry, I'm sorry, I should have asked first… I'm sorry-!" he squeaked, burying his face in his hands.

"...no, it's… okay," Mako assured him reluctantly. "...I kind of liked it," he muttered.

Wu's face popped up from his hands, and he grinned from ear to ear. "Really?! _Well_! There's more where that came from~" he sang happily. His teasing grin then softened into a sincere smile. "But… I won't give you a hard time, from now on. I want to make you as happy as you make me."

It sounded so cliché, and yet, Mako wasn't embarrassed to hear it. In fact, he felt kind of... flattered, and he believed Wu's words. He really had proved himself to him…

Mako hesitated, and then gave Wu a kiss on the cheek.


End file.
